"Dreadful Wind and Rain" is a traditional folk song that has been covered by countless artists throughout the years, including Jerry Garcia and David Grisman. The lyrics tell the dark and haunting story of two sisters who meet a tragic fate at the hands of their jealous older sibling. The song starts with the two sisters walking along a stream, when suddenly the older sister pushes the younger one into the water. This act is carried out with a sense of cruelty, as the younger sister is left to drown while the older sister watches on. The dreadful wind and rain symbolize the sorrow and tragedy surrounding this event. As the story unfolds, we learn that the sisters had been in the presence of a man named Johnny. While the younger sister is given a gold ring by him, the older sister is left with nothing. This inequality may have fueled the older sister's jealousy and ultimately led to her violent action. The younger sister's body floats downstream until it reaches a miller's pond. There, her presence is discovered by her parents, who see a swan swimming in the water. The miller, upon learning of this, uses a fishing hook to pull her out of the pond. He leaves her to dry on the banks, where a fiddler arrives. The fiddler, known as the "fiddlin' fool" or the "fiddler fair," uses parts of the young girl's body to create a fiddle. He makes pegs from her finger bones, a bow from her long yellow hair, and even a little fiddle from her breastbone. The fiddle has a unique and melancholic sound, capable of touching even the hardest of hearts. The sole tune it plays is the haunting melody of the wind and rain. The song's lyrical content and melody capture the somber and eerie atmosphere of this tragic tale. The story serves as a cautionary reminder of the destructive power of jealousy and the remorseless nature of revenge.
